Monday, March 31, 2014

I recently read an interesting thread in Ravelry about an ad that made me realize just how easily we can be misinterpreted. This is important to me because I have just started running ads for Robin Hunter Designs. The ads on Ravelry screens are very small. Notebook ads are 140 x 200 pixels. That's not a lot of space for detail. Just try squeezing in a photo and some text.

The original poster in the thread thought she was seeing something offensive. She raised the issue to get advice. A couple of posters were convinced she was seeing spam and suggested ad blocking software downloads. A number of others had trouble finding the ad and asked more questions. There were several posts about the advertising guidelines that Ravelry uses and how abuses could occur. Five posters found the ad but were sure they were not seeing something offensive and tried to clarify with descriptions. One poster found the ad and did find it offensive. All of this happened in the space of 24 posts and less than 24 hours before the moderators locked down the thread.

The acronym WYSIWYG stands for what you see is what you get. I think it's important to realize that we don't all see the same things in the same way. There are also specific reasons to do with the way our brains work which explain how two people saw something different from the other posters.

"Researcher Mark Changizi of Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute in New York believes it has to do with the human
tendency to visually predict the near future. Because there's a lag
between the time that light hits the retina and the time when the brain
perceives that light, Changizi thinks the human visual system has
evolved to compensate for the neural delay by generating images of what
will occur one-tenth of a second into the future." (http://www.livescience.com/33664-amazing-optical-illusions-work.html)

BTW: I did email Susan and make sure she has no problems with me writing about this ad. She told me the photo used was in the running to be used as a ravatar for the 2014 Iknitarod but came in second in a vote so it was used for an ad instead.You can find their group here. You can find Susan's site here.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Once a week I
post interviews with interesting knitting professionals about their insights
on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve
noticed that everyone makes their living in a slightly
different manner bringing their own unique presence to the
Knitting world.

Where do you find inspiration?Mostly I find inspiration in the
natural world - from plants and landscapes around me. As a family we
take frequent holidays in the English Lake District and are keen hill
walkers. The scenery there is breathtaking, whether you are sitting by a
lake (knitting in hand, of course) or clinging to a map on a windswept
summit. There is always something to delight and inspire.

What is your favourite knitting technique?Decisions...decisions... I like to think that I am still learning new techniques but for sheer fun it would have to be cables.Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?I'm
on Ravelry far too much and love nothing better than seeing what other
people are working on. I love to look at other designers work and also
to see how other knitters take a pattern and put their own
interpretation on it. Could you tell us a little about your design focus on socks?That's
a very polite way of putting it. My husband calls it my sock obsession.
They are practical (after all, nearly everyone wears them), they offer a
small canvass for trying out new techniques and you get to use gorgeous hand-painted yarn - the perfect package.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?This
is a tricky one and I'm not sure I am well placed to comment, Just as
there are a range of patterns written for all abilities similarly there
are knitters who differ greatly in their requirements. What is 'dumbing
down' to one person is 'just enough detail' for another.

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?No, I have just tried to design socks that, as a knitter, I would want to make myself.What impact has the Internet had on your business?It was the
Internet which reignited my passion for knitting (after a lapse of many
years). I love the fact that it can bring creative people together from
all corners of the globe and across all different backgrounds.Do you use a tech editor?Yes - absolutely essential.How do you maintain your life/work balance?I work part-time in
a scientific profession where there is little creativity (or fun, for
that matter). Knitting and designing brings balance to my life. I would
like to develop it further and turn it into a full-time profession but
I'm taking it one step at a time.

How do you deal with criticism?For the most part the only
criticism I have had has been of the constructive variety. As long as it
is given sympathetically and in a way that helps you to learn then I
welcome it. Harsh or negative criticism has no place.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?That is still a work in progress.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?Go for it as you would a rugby tackle - headlong and with commitment.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

One of the great things about my knitting career has been the amount I've gotten to learn about so many new things. Have you ever heard the saying "the camera never lies"? I used to believe that but now I know it isn't true.The camera sees things differently than we do. Light conditions impact colour so much more than I was ever aware of before I needed photos that are true to the colour of a specific yarn. When I worked in my LYS we had a problem pattern. I was told to let customers know when they tried to buy the yarn that it didn't come in that colour. The photo was incorrect with respect to the true colour, changing a beige yarn to pale green.Once a friend was showing me wedding photos of what I thought were coloured blocked bridesmaid dresses. She mentioned that the colour difference was only visible in the photos. The dresses were made from velvet and chiffon that reflected light back to the camera differently.Take a look at the photos below. I heard Melisa Joan Hart mention on a talk show that the white mark on her forehead was not visible to anyone except the camera.

I've also noticed that designs like the ones below with small textured stitches look great in the real world. The patterns sell more copies when knitters see the garments but get less notice and fewer positive comments when viewed in photos. I have other patterns which I notice the photos sell more copies than the samples do.

Humm.. how do I say this, I occasionally have a similar problem with another part of my body that protrudes forward. I discovered this effect when we were taking photos at Christmas. I was wearing a cocktail dress that fits snugly around the torso. The shots where I was at an angle to the camera looked normal but the straight on photo looked very disproportionate.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Knitters often want to know why yarn substitutions can produce unexpected results. Take a look at the list below. I pulled this from Ravelry and then I added the weight/length ratio. All the yarns are 100% Alpaca, listed as light fingering. The ratio range is from 2.68 to 19.34. If I toss out the outliers, assuming something is wrong with the information or I goofed and made a calculation error, I still get a range from 3.1 to 8.74. Out of 11 yarns, 4 fall between 4.0 and 4.3. Which yarns do you think are interchangeable?

Friday, March 21, 2014

Once
a week I post interviews with interesting people about their insights
on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed
that every one of these individuals makes their living in a slightly
different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting
world.You can find Michele here and here on Ravelry.

Where do you find inspiration?I
find inspiration everywhere, but especially in nature. I've been
inspired by rain, flowers, leaves, trees. Inspiration can also come from
playing with stitch patterns, and garment shapes. One of my first
designs was inspired by sunlight sparkling on the Pacific Ocean. I
organize a Crafty Moms retreat on the Oregon Coast each spring, and
spend a lot of time watching the waves. My Pacific Shawl grew out of
that vision.

What is your favourite knitting technique?My
favorite technique is usually the one I'm using right now! I love
learning a new technique or stitch pattern and then featuring it in
several designs. I've played with cables, lace, entrelac, thrumming,
steeking. I design mostly accessories: shawls, scarves, hats,
gloves...they are limited canvases that I get to embellish. I especially
like making the most of a single skein, or two coordinating skeins of
special yarn. No dye lot issues!

Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs? I
don't think any of us can design in a vacuum. I love looking through
magazines and patterns on Ravelry to see what's new and interesting. We
all want to put our own spin on things, to make something uniquely our
own.Could you tell us a little about your philosophy about teaching?I
love teaching. I think it's really important for knitters to know what
they're doing, and why. It's not just about making the motions of
knitting; it's important to see how stitches are formed so you can
reverse the process and undo them! My favorite class to teach is called
"Tink, Drop, Frog: How to Fix Mistakes." Students learn to unknit, drop
stitches and work them back up again, and better ways to rip and get the
work back on the needles without losing the whole project. I tell them
that they are the boss of their knitting! I also learn from these
classes; when a student uses a different technique than I do, it can be a
challenge to figure out what's happening and why. My most interesting
student was knitting completely opposite from the way I do; she inserts
the left needle into the knitting on the right needle, and stitches move
from right needle to left. She had lost her place in a pattern, and it
was aha moment for both of us when I could read her knitting!

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?I
don't think I dumb down patterns; I try to be very thorough in my
explanations. If I'm too thorough, you can ignore the parts you already
understand, but it's better to have too much information than not
enough. With Internet publishing, I don't have to limit the number of
pages, but I do try to be concise.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself? For
me, there is a lot of trial and error in designing, so I am always the
first knitter. I have three people who frequently test knit for me. It's
always good to make sure that the item turns out the way I envisioned
when someone else knits it!Did you do a formal business plan?No,
I don't have a formal business plan. My main goal is to increase my
knit-related income each year, and so far it's working. I design, teach,
and tech edit.

Do you have a mentor?I
don't have a mentor, but I did confer with Chrissy Gardiner when I
needed designer advice. She's smart, local, and very grounded.Do you have a business model that you have emulated?No.What impact has the Internet had on your business?The
Internet has made it possible for me to self-publish patterns and have
an audience larger than just my local yarn shops. I sell my patterns
mostly through Ravelry. I also love to blog; you can find me at http://pdxknitterati.com.
I enjoy the camaraderie and relationships that come from blogging and
interacting with readers and other bloggers. I know that blogging isn't
as popular as it used to be, but it definitely has a place. I can craft a
better story in a blog post than in a tweet or Facebook post. My blog
is a home for my patterns and knitting tutorials, and also a way to
journal about travel and other hobbies.

Do you use a tech editor? I do use a tech editor, but not if the design is super simple. I also do some tech editing for other designers.How do you maintain your life/work balance?Sometimes
that's hard! My husband and I both work from home, so work is always
on. I designed Rosaria, the mystery knitalong shawlette for the Rose
City Yarn Crawl, a local event here in Portland for 18 yarn shops. We
did the KAL over four weeks before the crawl, and I was pretty
constantly on Ravelry for it. But was that work, or fun? For me, it was
both! How do you deal with criticism?I haven't had a lot of criticism, but I try to learn from it and if it's constructive, I'll adapt later work because of it.How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?I
am definitely not self-supporting at this point, but I love what I do.
My husband is very supportive of my knitting career; I couldn't do this
without him.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?Knit
and read lots. Know what a well written pattern looks like. There are
industry standards for pattern writing, and if you use enough of those
patterns, you will be able to write in that style. Relationships
are important. Partnerships with dyers, yarn shops, and publishers can
be mutually beneficial. And your relationships with your customers are
most important of all.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

One of the hand dyers I interviewed, Tabi Ferguson and I have stayed in sporadic contact since we worked on her interview. This happens occasionally and I really enjoy this aspect of the interview series. I've acquired many efriends and occasionally I get to meet them in the real world which is a lot of fun! Tabi and I have been talking about the role of test knitters, tech editors and sample knitters.

She wrote "I took a quick look through your archives on tech editors, but
didn't find anything on test knitters. I'm still trying to wrap my head
around the role of the test knitter and how it seems to differ so much
from the tech editor.Coming from a software background, a tester tested exactly as
written. This is very different than test knitters who seem to make
comments and mods at will which makes me admire the skill and experience
of the tester but makes me question the pattern itself (why did they
make so many mods? is there an underlying problem with the pattern
itself? if they make mods, then aren't they sample knitters rather than
test knitters?). Testers were also paid. It seems most test knitters
aren't paid, even in yarn. They get the pattern for free and they
essentially provide additional free 'advertising' on Rav in terms of
their posting their finished projects. I completely get the role of the tech editor (and that they should
somehow be compensated), but it seems they often don't knit the item at
least not in it's entirety which makes me wonder if they've caught
enough. Hence my confusion...or maybe it's just me :-)Then there's sample knitters what role do they play?"

In my case I don't use test knitters. I prefer a sample knitter who works with my yarn to my specifications. I need a version
knit for photography and I need it customized to my measurements (if it's a garment) which are non-standard. I do know a few designers that
have experimented with the Ravelry testing group and they have mixed results with the process. The issue about a tester making modifications limits the value of the testing. My understanding is that they are modifying to make the project suit their needs or to use up stash.

There is a lot of confusion about the terms
test and sample knitters. If you ask different people you will get
different definitions. Testing a pattern usually means the designer is looking for feedback on the instructions and perhaps hoping for multiple sizes to be tested. In some cases I hear test knitter when I would think sample knitter would be more accurate, The lines are very blurry and it really all comes down to a negotiation between designer and knitter based on the needs of each in terms of timing, compensation and feedback. My sample knitters do ask questions, I do have numerical or stitch
pattern goofs more often than I would like and I have made changes based on their input
before the pattern was tech edited. I assign the projects based on their
skill sets, project preferences and technical expertise. I have had different levels of success with different knitters in terms of their ability to provide constructive criticism. Often they are my hands and eyes identifying problems or even a design concept that just isn't working out.

Tech editors usually think through the information and how it's being communicated. They will occasionally pick up needles to test out instruction methods they are unfamiliar with. I tend to like a
collaborative approach so my current tech editor is great with the back and
forth method. Sometimes we rework wording together if I'm really
struggling with a specific section. She also reviews all grammatical
changes with me so we can discuss and I can make fewer errors (or at least try to). At times the process is more of an
art than I initially thought it would be. Often style or layout issues will lead to changes in the pattern after it has been knit. My editor has an amazing ability to think through the knitting and recognize inconsistencies when I make errors in typing out stitch patterns in text. I'm more visual and much more conformable with charts. I like to think our different skill sets are complimentary. Interestingly, I've been asked about doing tech editing and I don't think I be very good at it. I have improved in catching errors in patterns and books but they seem to be more in the area of copy editing.

To keep my pattern writing consistent I can't
make all of the changes that are suggested by both knitters and editors. Working with the same tech editor
at the end of the design and knitting process on multiple patterns means she works to an
overall standard set by my pattern style.

Interweave has very kindly offered my readers a link to coupon codes for discounts in their online store. Go here for discounts.

BTW I'd be very grateful if my readers told other knitters about my blog and patterns. I played around with share this buttons on the blog but they keep fighting with my antivirus software.

About Me

email contact robinknits(AT)gmail(dot)com
I've been knitting my whole life. I don't even remember learning. I started making garments for myself in my teens and then explored sewing, tailoring and millinery. I want to teach knitters about fit and flattery and turn them into fashion stars!
On my blog you will find lots of interviews with knitting industry professionals, how to tutorials and a variety of posts about what's going on in the knitting world.
I love to come out and speak at shops and guilds. Here's what the Downtown Knit collective said after one of my talks:
“Robin Hunter’s inspiring talk, “The Barbie Factor,” left everyone in a feel-good mood at the conclusion of the May meeting. Heads were nodding in agreement all around ... as she tackled a multi-faced problem faced by many knitters—why don’t we knit for ourselves? She touched on many topics including fashion, body image, media and how it all relates back to our knitting.”
You can see my patterns on http://www.patternfish.com/des/robin_hunter and you can find me on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/people/knittingrobin
My YouTube channel is here:http://www.youtube.com/user/robinknits?feature=mhee